Head of the British Embassy's Digital Access Program
Rita Damayanti said in a statement on Saturday that the embassy partnered with the BRI Research Institute, Hamzanwadi University, and Rinjani Geopark, targeting 250 MSMEs in the villages of Loyok, Lantan, Senaru, and Sembalun Sub-district.
"MSMEs are part of a marginalized community with great potential to adopt digital technology. However, they are still being left out of the digital inclusion agenda," Damayanti remarked.
Over the five years of digital access implementation in Indonesia, the British government has recognized MSMEs' significant potential in adopting technology to support their development, she continued.
Research conducted by the embassy and the BRI Research Institute revealed the relatively low adoption of digital services by Indonesian MSMEs.
Therefore, the two institutions are conducting a series of digital literacy and skills training, while also targeting business development for women and youth in the ultra-micro and micro categories, who play an important role in local economic growth.
In the same statement, Nilam Nirmala Anggraini, Technical Assistance Team Leader from the BRI Research Institute, said that women play a crucial role in MSME development.
Approximately 64 percent of the 64 million MSME owners in Indonesia are women, and 40 million women contribute to the Indonesian economy.
However, this large potential faces a major challenge: low digital adoption, Anggraini conveyed.
According to her, Lombok has abundant potential in the craft, culinary, and tourism sectors. Nevertheless, the region faces challenges such as limited financial access, low financial and digital inclusion, and a lack of business mentors to build a strong digital ecosystem.
"We hope this program, implemented over the next six months, will receive support from the local government and other stakeholders," Anggraini stated.
Meanwhile, Head of the Cooperatives and MSMEs Office of West Nusa Tenggara Province Ahmad Masyhuri appreciated the decision to choose his region for the digital access program.
He expressed his gratitude for the willingness of institutions, communities, and non-governmental organizations to help the local government empower MSMEs, especially those owned by women.
Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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